Weft end control for magazine looms



June 1931- w. M. WATTIE 1,807,768

WEFT END CONTROL FOR MAGAZINE LOOMS Filed March 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l ..'I.IIII T LZzZLZ.

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June 2, 1931. wATTlE 1,807,768

WEFT END CONTROL FOR MAGAZINE LOOKS Filed March 14, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 2 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I WILLIAM M. WATTIE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON 8c KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS WEFT END CONTROL FOR MAGAZINE LOQMS Application filed. March 14, 1929. Serial No. 347,087.

This invention relates to improvements in weft replenishing mechanisms more particularly of the multicolor type and it is the general object of the invention to provide means for keeping the weft ends of reserve bobbins taut and out of the path of moving parts of the loom.

In multicolor weft replenishing looms the reserve bobbins are held in parallel vertical stacks-and the weft ends from the bobbins extend to some form of thread holder which is generally located above and adjacent the end of the lay. As the bobbins descend toward transfer postion the weft ends slacken, with the result that the lay or some part movingtherewith is likely to engage and break theslack threads. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a travelling friction surface to draw the weft ends away from the reserve bobbins to hold them taut.

It isa further object of my present invention to provide means actuated by the lay to keep-in motion an endless friction device over-which the weft ends from the bobbins may-extend for the purpose of tightening them.

I have-found that the weft ends have a tendency to stick to certain forms of friction surfaces and it is a further object of my present invention to provide a clearer, preferably in the form of a comb,-to disengage the weft ends from the friction surface so convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is a front-elevation of a portion of a weft replenishing mechanism and lay provided with my present invention,

wFig..-2 is an end elevation taken in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is is a top plan view taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4c is a detailed vertical section on line 4 4. of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 55 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one end of 5;}

the thread clearer which cooperates with the endless belt, and

Fig. 7 is an end elevation looking in the direction of arrow 7, Fig. 4;, parts being in section.

The magazine includes in its construction an outside plate 10 provided with vertical grooves 11 which receive the tips 12 of the bobbins B. Vertical slots 13 are formed in the plate 10 and are the passageways through which extend the weft ends W from the bobbins. As shown in Fig. 3 I have illustrated four separate vertical stacks of bobbins for a fourcolor automatic loom. The magazine plate 10 is held in position by tie rods 14 which extend from and are supported by the inner magazine plate not shown. The lay L moves back and forth under the magazine in well-known manner. Inthe drawings I have omitted the mechanism which controls the passage of the bobbins from the magazine toward transfer position, but it is to be understood that the bobbins descend toward a common transfer position and are then inserted into the active shuttle. The matter thus far described is of common construction and forms no part of my present invention.

In carrying my invention into effect I extend one of the tie rods as at and secure thereto abracket 21 by means of screws 22.

right hand side of the depending leg of the lever as suggested in Fig. 1. The upper end of said spring extends into the hub 23 of the bracket as at 31. The leg 30 is provided with a shoe 32 which cooperates with an inclined cam face 33 shown in Fig. ..3,'said surface .be-

ing formed on a cam member 34 secured to the lay in any approved manner. The upper arm 85 of the lever 26 carries a stud 36 on which is pivotally mounted a. pawl 37.

Mounted for rotation on the rod 2% is ratchet 88 positioned to cooperate with the pawl 37. A. roll or cylinder 39 is mounted loosely on the rod 2% to be rotatable thereabout and is secured to the ratchet by means of a screw 40 passing through the ratchet and into the cylinder. The cylinder is provided at its ends with flanges ll against the forward one of which, at the left of Fig. 2, is pressed a friction pad 4-2. The latter is pressed by a compression spring 4-3 surrounding a portion of the rod 24: and confined on the red by a collar a l held in adjusted position by screw 45. By means of said pad and spring 48 rotation of the roll 39 is resisted so that the ratchet does not have retrograde movement when the pawl is having its idle or non-working stroke.

The bracket 21 has secured thereto astud 46 on which is mounted an arm 47 held in angular position on said rod 46 by means of a set screw 48. The arm I? is provided with a slot l9 through which extends the end 50 of a rod 51 substantially parallel to the rod The rod 51 has a portion 52 with a shoulder 53 which is held against arm 47 by nut The portion 52 has a second shoulder 55 which limits motion in one direction of a second cylinder 56, endwise movement of which in the other direction is restricted by means of a pin 57 in the rod 51. An endless belt 58 having a friction surface is extended around the cylinders 39 and 56.

In order to assist in guiding the weftends so that they will fall on the belt 58 I provide a rod 60 having an upwardly extending portion 61 which is preferably in substantial alignment with the front ends of the rolls or cylinders and extends above the upper roll. Rod 60 has a horizontal extension 62 which projects into a lug 63 cast as part of bracket 21. Said rod may be held to the lug in any approved manner as by a small set screw The lug 63 is formed as shown in Fig. 8 and so placed with respect to the depending leg 30 of the lever 26 as to limit movementof said lever in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 of the torsion spring 28.

In order to clean the belt 58 I provide a pair of plates the lower of which 71 is provided with teeth 72 and is provided with a longitudinal crimp 78 to receive the horizontal extension 62 of the rod 60. In order to hold said plate 71 in place the other plate 7a lies over the horizontal extension 62 and is held frietionally in contact therewith by means of screws Y5 which extend through both of said plates and clamp the same together. As viewed in Fig. l the lower serrated or toothed plate 71 normally has engagement with the surface of the belt 58 at such a point as will engage weft ends and strip the latter from the belt before they have opportunity to become wrapped completely around the belt.

In operation, the lay L moves back and forth and when in rear position will be out of actuating relation with respect to the shoe 32. The spring 28 will therefore hold the leg 80 of the lever 26 against the lug 68 with the pawl 3'? moved to its extreme right hand position as viewed in Figs. 1 and l. As the lay advances the cam face 33 will engage the shoe and rock the lever about the rod 24:, thereby moving the pawl 37 to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 so that said pawl may engage a fresh tooth on the ratchet 38. As the lay recedes the spring 28 will cause the shoe to follow the cam and at the same time move the pawl to the right, causing the ratchet and therefore the top cylinder or roll to be given a slight angular movement in a right hand direction as viewed in Fig. 1. The lower rod 51 is positioned to keep the belt 58 in frictional contact with the upper roll, so that as the latter moves there will be imparted to the belt a slight advance movement in such a direction as to move the upper portion thereof away from the plate 10 and reserve bobbins B.

The weft ends which have frictional contact with the belt will adhere to the latter and be held taut so that said ends will appear as shown in Fig. 1, being above the lay so as not to be damaged by the latter. As the weft ends will engage the teeth 72, whereupon the latter will strip them from the belt and the latter will be kept clean and therefore capable of taking fresh hold on new weft ends. Should the belt become loose the rod 51 may be lowered by means of nut 54 until said belt is tightened. It will be understood that the belt is given a slight advance movement for each beat of the lay, and as a result, should the bobbins rotate on their axes because of the vibration of the loom, any consequent slackness of the weft ends will be taken up by the belt.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a travelling friction surface which is given an advance movement away from the magazine and so placed as to hold the weft ends in engagement therewith taut and out of the path of the lay. It will further be seen that the belt is given a periodic advance movement by a motion derived from the lay. It will also be seen that I have provided means for clearing the surfaces of the belt so that the same will not have wrapped therearound a large number of weft ends the effect of which might be to lessen the frictional contact between the belt and the weft ends.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not Wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft replenishing mechanism for looms having a reserve supply of bobbins from which extend weft ends, an upper roll, a lower roll, an element mounted on the rolls and movable thereby and having a friction surface over which weft ends extend to be supported thereby, and a clearer located between the rolls to clear said element of any weft ends remaining on the friction surface as the element rotates.

2. In a weft repenishing mechanism for looms having a reserve supply of bobbins from which extend weft ends, an upper roll, a lower roll, an element mounted on the rolls and movable thereby and having a friction surface over which weft ends extend to be supported thereby, and a clearer located 011 the under side of the element to clear said element of any weft ends remaining on the friction surface as the element rotates.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WILLIAM M. WATTIE. 

